Purgatory and the Second Coming

[Pryority7]

I just thought of this on my way home from work yesterday, and it’s quite interesting.

I believe in Purgatory. As a Catholic Christian I also believe in the Second Coming. I know that when the General Judgement happens Purgatory will cease to exist.
Now…we know that those still in the presense of some sin in their lives yet having the life of santifying grace in their souls go through the purging process before entering fully into Heaven.
Now…what about the Second Coming? What about those who St. Paul says in Thessalonians “we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up up together with them (those who have died before us) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Thess 4:15-18). I believe that when Jesus returns, the dead will be raised, and those who are alive will be translated to their new immortal bodies to partake in the final Judgement. Do the ones who are caught up in the clouds go through a Purgatory too? I would presume so since at the moment of the Second Coming there would surely be people who are saved yet have venial or effects of forgiven mortal sin on their souls. Is the purging instantaneous? Maybe purgatory is instantaneous also in general. We really just don’t know. I just find it interesting. Purgatory is what it is. I would love to hear your guys imput on this interesting thought on how purgatory effects those still alive and walking around at the moment of the Second Coming of our Lord?
P7

 

[Fidelis]

A couple of excerpts from my favorite article on this subject, from the Rosary Light & Life Page:

As regards those who are still living when the world comes to an end, the more common opinion is that they will die in that final conflagration. The Catechism of the Council of Trent speaks of that as follows:

"When we say all (die) we mean those who will have died before the day of judgment, as well as those who will then die. That the Church acquiesces in the opinion that all, without distinction, shall die, and that this opinion is more consonant with truth, is the teaching of St. Jerome and St. Augustine. Nor does St. Paul in his epistle to the Thessalonians depart from this doctrine when he says:

‘Those who have died in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living, the survivors, will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thenceforth we shall be with the Lord unceasingly.’ (3:16,17)

“St. Ambrose explaining these words says: ‘In that very being caught up death shall take place, as it were, in a deep sleep, and the soul, having gone forth from the body, shall instantly return. For those who are alive shall die when they are taken up that, coming to the Lord, they may receive their souls from His presence; because in His presence they cannot be dead.’ This opinion is supported by the authority of St. Augustine in his book THE CITY OF GOD.” (St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that those alive at the world’s end will die in that conflagration. - Suppl. 74, 7, ad 3)

There are some Scripture scholars who hold that those living at the end of the world will be taken up to Christ without undergoing death. However, it is difficult to reconcile that opinion with the fact that the punishment of original sin imposes the obligation of undergoing death on every member of the human race with the exception of Christ and His Mother, both of whom voluntarily accepted death for the redemption of mankind. (CCC 1008, 1018) “If we die in Christ’s grace, physical death completes this dying with Christ (begun in Baptism) and so completes our incorporation into Him in His redeeming act.” (CCC 1010)…

We must remember that when the world comes to an end, so will purgatory. All those in purgatory until that final hour will have completed their purification and satisfied their debt of punishment. One might ask a hypothetical question: what if one dies very shortly before the end of the world in the state of grace, but with a considerable debt of temporal punishment and attachment to creatures. Is that debt paid and the purification accomplished in so short a time? St. Thomas asks the same question with regard to those who are still living at the end of the world, and the answer he gives covers both situations. As we stated, he holds that all those still living the last day will be consumed in that fire.

“There are three reasons why those who will be found living will be able to be cleansed suddenly. One is because there will be few things in them to be cleansed , since they will be already cleansed by the previous fears and persecutions. The second is because they will suffer pain in this life of their own will, and pain suffered in this life voluntarily cleanses much more than pain inflicted after death . . . .The third is because suffering can increase in intensity to make up for shortness of time.” (Suppl. 74,8, ad 5). (This third reason would answer the question regarding souls in purgatory.)

Go to:

rosary-center.org/ll49n6.htm

to see the entire article.

 

[maryj]

I’m about half way through “the rapture trap” so I’m sure I will come across this question in the book. Until then I will answer one of your questions. What is the purpose of the faithful on earth being “caught up” in the glory of their descending Lord to meet Him as He arrives in triumph? The answer is simple when we recognize an ancient custom common in St. Paul’s culture. State dignitaries and victorious military leaders of his time often made grand public visits to cities. This appearance was called a parousia, the same greek term that St.Paul and other biblical writers often use to write about Christ’s glorious arrival. 1 corinthians 15:23, 2 thessalonians 2:8, 2 peter 3:4, 1 john 2:28. When the visitors approached a city with their entourage, they were often met by the citizens who wanted to go out and welcome them and accompany them back into the city. It was a way of honoring a persons arrival. This in fact is the custom that led Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Passion (palm) Sunday.

Those who are still alive on earth when Jesus returns, gathered from the ends of the earth by the angels, will have the great priviledge: They will be caught up in His clouds of Glory to meet the approaching “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” 1 Timothy 6 :15 They will accompany Him as He enters the world in triumph. Simple as that!!

 

[Della]

We also have to keep in mind that purgatory is a state of being not a time in space and time as we know it. This is why the Church no longer gives a set amount of time of indulgences for those in purgatory. It is outside our understanding of time and space.

 

[batteddy]

As regards those who are still living when the world comes to an end, the more common opinion is that they will die in that final conflagration.

True. It is thought that preceeding the last judgement will come a great fire that will restore heaven and earth, and any still living will be reduced to ash like the rest immediately before the General Resurrection. The good will not suffer in this fire, those needing purgatorial cleansing will suffer some, and for those to be damned this will start their everlasting punishment.

 

[Fidelis]

batteddy:

True. **It is thought ** that preceeding the last judgement will come a great fire that will restore heaven and earth, and any still living will be reduced to ash like the rest immediately before the General Resurrection.

Actually, we have it on the authority of Scripture:

The present heavens and earth have been reserved by the same word for fire, kept for the day of judgment and of destruction of the godless.

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.

Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought (you) to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. (2 Peter 3:7-12)

 

[Pryority7]

Very good answers I got in this post.

I kind of don’t understand the concept of believers just dropping dead at the Second Coming and then being Resurrected right then and there. Why can’t they just change into their immortal bodies just like that? I understand the whole thing about Original Sin like the article given suggests, yet it still leaves that question in my mind. The Original sin concept is the only explanation of it that I may see as being reasonable. Yet…

I love the (name removed by moderator)ut though. I feel really blessed. Praise God.
Oh…and I read the Rapture Trap. Excellent Book!!!
P7